Hernando Today
Farmers Not Worried About Quick Freeze
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Published: January 2, 2008
BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE - Apparently, one or two nights of sub-freezing temperatures is not enough to kill a citrus field or blueberry farm.
Local growers say they are accustomed to a short spurt of late night wintry weather every year in Florida. They know how to keep their plants protected and are confident most of their foliage and fruit will survive — as long as those cold temperatures do not linger during the day and night.
"We're just watching things carefully," said Kathy Oleson, who co-owns Boyett's Grove in Spring Lake. "(Freezing temperatures) really have to stay a long time. It's really got to get down and stay there for a while to do any damage."
Boyett's Grove is a tourist attraction that shows visitors how fruit is grown, washed, packed and sold the way it used to be 50 years ago in Hernando County.
Blueberry plants are a popular crop among farmers in the area. They generally remain dormant this time of year.
"This freeze will be OK for our blueberry guys," said Stacey Strickland, a University of Florida farming expert. "A lot of our farmers know what to expect. We know it's a very good possibility that there will be a freeze here in Florida … It doesn't happy every winter, but we prepare for it."
Strickland said some farmers spray their plants late in the year to "induce dormancy" so that they are less likely to bloom during the cold weather months.
Blueberries usually come out in the spring. As a result, farmers are more nervous about sub-freezing temperatures in March, Strickland said.
Meteorologists predicted temperatures would drop to as low as 17 degrees in Brooksville last night. Today, the forecast called for a sunny day with highs in the mid-50s. Tonight's temperatures may drop below 32 degrees, giving the area consecutive nights of sub-freezing weather.
Cold weather has been a concern throughout the state. Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency earlier this week and signed an executive order that requires the Department of Transportation to relax the weight, height, length and width restrictions for commercial vehicles transporting "vulnerable crops" to processing sites, according to the Florida Farm Bureau Federation.
Jericho Road Ministries, located at 1090 Mondon Hill Road in Brooksville, has provided shelter for the local homeless during the current cold weather spell.
Temperatures are expected to reach the 70s this weekend with the lows staying at or above 50 degrees.
Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.
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